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Where does the word "lantern" come from? It comes from Latin lanterna, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "lantern" come from? It comes from Latin lanterna, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Lantern’s story begins in Latin: lanterna meant “lamp.” From Greek 'lamptēr', torch, influenced by 'lucerna'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as lanterne. A protected lamp for carrying. It reached English by 1200s as lantern. The variant 'lanthorn' came from horn panels. Today, lantern means a lamp with a protective case.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient lanterna "lamp", from Greek 'lamptēr', torch, influenced by 'lucerna'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval lanterne "lantern", a protected lamp for carrying.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s lantern "portable lamp", the variant 'lanthorn' came from horn panels.